Auxiliary metal feeder for typecasting machines



A. B. REID May 13, 1941.

AUXILIARY METAL FEEDER FOR TYPE-CASTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17, 1940 3 Shgets-Sheet 1 A. B. REID May 13, 1941.

AUXILIARY METAL FEEDER FOR TYPE-CASTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 n 9 W m M a m 5 A. B. REID May 13, 1941.

AUXILIARY METAL FEEDER FOR TYPE-CASTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 24 44 50 I JZe/LZUF HQ/"C/aeYB I Patented May 13, 1941 AUXILIARY METAL FEEDER FOR TYPE- C'ASTING IVIACHINES 5 Qlaims.

This invention relates in general to type casting machines such as are commonly known to the trade as Intertype, or Linotype, and which are employed by printers and composing rooms for casting lines of type or slugs instead of employing individual types such as are used for hand composition, and wherein the slugs are cast from matrices formed with the various characters needed for composition.

The usual type casting machine performs three primary functions, namely: (1) It assembles the matrices in lines; (2) It casts lines of type or slugs from the assembled matrices; and (8) It distributes the matrices for re-use.

My present invention is an improvement over that expressed by Chase in his Patent No. 2,129,- 164, issued September 6, 1938, and pertains particularly to the castings of the type or slugs (item No. 2), and specifically to an auxiliary melting pot or feeder used in conjunction with the usual metal pot and crucible now most universally employed for maintaining a supply of molten metal for delivery to the molds, and has for its objects;

The provision of feeder adapted to be removably pivoted to the frame of the type casting machine so that it may be swung into or out of operative position independent of the relative reciprocal movement of the metal pot and crucible which forms an 2.5-

sembled part of the machine; 7

A feeder which will safely hold an ample supply of molten metal in readiness for delivery to the crucible when it calls for metal and maintain a substantially constant level of metal in the crucible by means of a float actuate valve; and

The incorporation of automatic safety means for preventing the escape of molten metal from the feeder, especially when in its inoperative position and during periods when the crucible and the pump which feeds the molten metal to the molds, is being cleaned or adjusted; and

The elimination of springs and delicate mechanism which may be affected by heat and thus fail to properly function at a critical time, or which may be damaged in operation and thus submit the operator to serious burns and injury; and

To provide a camactuated mechanism which is automatic to the extent that only the partial manual rotation of the feeder from operative to inoperative position will cause the discharge valve of the feeder to be positively closed and locked shut and at the same time the float, which controls the opening and closing of the valve, simulan auxiliary melting pot and fix taneously lifted from and clear of the metal pot and crucible and swung with the feeder out of contact with the crucible-without adjustment whatsoever, and without manually connecting or disconnecting any of the levers, rods, float or other assembled parts thereof, and which cam actuated mechanism permits the fioat to properly adjust itself when the feeder is returned to its operating position, simultaneously releasing or unlocking the discharge valve so that it may answer the call for metal when required; and

The construction of a specific form of valve and operating mechanism which will permit ready access to the valve and facilitate reseating or replacement; and

To give to the printer a safe, inexpensive, simple, durable and positive action auxiliary feeder which requires no great skill or expensive equipment to install and use, the operating mechanism of which will not be affected by the excessive heat to which it is subjected or the continual vibrations and shock occasioned by the repeated reoiprocation of the metal pot and crucible for which it serves as an'adjunct.

My invention has these and other objects such as are hereafter explained in detail and which are apparent or may be more readily understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings (three sheets) which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, it being manifest that changes and modifications may be restorted to without departure from the spirit of the claims forming a part hereof.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and it is to be further understood that the words I use are words of description and not of limitation.

In the drawings:

Figv 1 is a plan View of my feeder shown in its inoperative position and associated with a conventional form of melting pot, crucible, or reservoir of a type casting machine; the operative position of the feeder is indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the feeder taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and the relative position of the metal pot or reservoir is indicated in broken lines;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the feeder on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, wherein the valve is closed;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail of the valve portion as indicated at Fig. 3 but showing the valve in its open position;

5 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the valve stem and its connection with the walking beam or actuating lever; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic development of the cam face illustrating the various positions the cam roller takes as it is drawn over the cam.

. As illustrated, my invention consists in providing the metal pot and crucible l hereinafter referred to as reservoir, which is arranged to carry the molten metal for the machine and which is reciprocally mounted by means of suitable brackets to the frame-work of a type casting machine (not shown), with an auxiliary metal feeder comprising in general a rectangularly shaped jacketed pot, having spaced side walls I2|2, end walls |3| 3, a bottom connecting wall I 4, and a cover I5; which feeder is pivotally mounted by means of a bearing member I6, to which is journalled a fixed and stationary bracket H which connects to the frame-Work of the casting machine directly adjacent the reservoir 2. The feeder is adapted to carry a reserve supply of molten metal l8 for delivery to the reservoir 0, and to be pivoted around the bracket IT in and out of operative position with respect to the reservoir as indicated at Fig. 1. It is also the usual custom to provide for heating the metal in the feeder, but as this forms no part of my invention, such details, including insulation, have been omitted from the drawings to better illustrate my invention.

A valve seat I9 is provided in the bottom l4 of the feeder and into which seats a valve 20, which has a vertically arranged valve stem 2| extending upwardly therefrom to a point just above the cover I5, Where the top of the stem is slotted at 22 to receive the bit of a screw driver, and which arrangement permits the operator to rotate the valve and thus break away any incrustations of foreign matter which may accumulate between the valve and valve seat to thereby permit the valve to seat properly. Where the valve stem passes through the cover I 5, the cover is cut away to provide a substantially rectangular opening 23, in which space is arranged a lever or walking beam 24, which is centrally pivoted at 25 to bearing lugs 26-46 which are aflixed to the body or wall l2 of the feeder adjacent its upper edge as shown. The end of the walking beam which extends inwardly of the feeder is bifurcated to provide the spaced ears 27-21 to which is pivoted, by means of the pin 28, a bearing block or journal 29 which is drilled normal to the axis of the pin 28 to receive the upper end of the valve stem 2|, which in turn passes therethrough as shown at Fig. 5 and is turned down to provide a peripheral groove 36 through which the pin 28 passes to key the valve stem 2| to the bearing block 29 and still permit the valve stem to be rotated in a plane normal to the major axis of the pin 28. The end of the walking beam 24 opposite to that carrying the valve, as just described, extends outwardly beyond the outer wall l2 of the feeder and has a hole 3| passing therethrough, and through which is threaded a flexible cable or chain 32, topped with a ring 33, and which chain passes downwardly therefrom through a guide cylinder 34 fixedly attached to the wall |2 of the feeder by means of the bracket 35. The lower end of the chain is attached to a float 36, while the upper end has the ring 33 adapted to bear against the top of the beam 24, so that as the float is lowered (see Fig. 4) the weight of the float will pull the related end of the beam 24 downwardly which raises the valve 20 from its seat l9 and permits the reserve supply of metal l8, in the feeder, to flow into the reservoir.

The length of the chain will then govern the level of the metal in the reservoir since the valve and valve stem mechanism will close as soon as it is relieved of the weight of the float.

As disclosed by the patent to Chase, supra, it has heretofore been the practice to raise the float and manually disconnect the valve actuating means before the operator could swing the feeder from operative to inoperative position. I now propose to eliminate this manual operation, and in its stead provide a truly automatic float lift, whereby the rotating movement of the feeder in itself will raise the float from the reservoir, and thus eliminate the possibility of burnt fingers and serious injury to the workman and damage to the feeder mechanism. This lifting mechanism consists of a rocker arm 31 pivoted at 38 to the vertical flange 39 which forms part of the feeder cover plate I5; the forward end of the rocker arm is hooked at 40, where it is adapted to engage the chain ring 33, and the opposite end 4| of the arm 31 carries a cam roller 42 which is arranged to engage the effective surface 43 of a cam 44 which in turn is fixedly secured to the upper end portion of the bracket arm I1. The development of the cam surface is diagrammatically illustrated at Fig. 6, which shows the position of the cam roller at A, when the arm-4| is raised, thus lowering the hooked portion 40 to the position shown at Fig. 4 when the float 35 will call upon the valve 2|! to'respond in answer to a demand for metal. But upon the rotation of the feeder to the position indicated in full lines at Fig. 1, the cam roller is first carried downwardly upon the cam face as indicated by the position B until it reaches its lowermost posi tion C, and which movement raises thehooked portion 40 to the position indicated at Figs. 2 and 3, which not only raises the float from the reservoir H], but also relieves all weight from the outer end of the walking beam 24 which permits the valve 20 to seat of its own weight.

In auxiliary feeders of this type, it is imperative that the valve 20, when once seated, remain securely closed during all periods when the feeder is not in its operative position, as the pot contains molten metal, and its accidental release gives rise to a serious condition. Therefore, I provide a locking means to insure against the accidental release of the molten metal. And because springs and-delicate mechanisms are unduly affected by the excessive heat which prevails during operation, I have provided a pendulant Weight in the form of a lever arm 45, the upper end of which is pivoted at 46 to the wall l2 of the feeder and is bifurcated to provide spaced ears 4|-4'| which provide bearings for the shaft of a roller 48 which is adapted to engage and bear against the under side of that portion of the Walking beam 24 which extends outwardly from the wall of the feeder.- The lower end of the arm 45 is provided with an integral shoe 49 extending outwardly therefrom and slightly inclined with the horizontal, which is arranged when the feeder is in operative position, to engage a roller 50 adjustably carried by a bracket clamp 5| and which bracket 5| is clamped to the wall of the cover of the metal pot III as shown in broken lines at Fig. 2, and as such, becomes an integral part of the type casting machine, so that when the feeder is in inoperative position, and the valve 28 is closed, the pendulant weight of the pivoted arm 45 is delivered to the under-side of the walking beam 24 which exerts pressure downwardly upon the valve stem and valve, see Fig. 3, and

thus locks the Valve closed and against accidental opening.

From the foregoing it will be immediately apparent that I have devised an auxiliary feeder which is truly automatic in the control of the valve and the valve actuating mechanism, and wherein by the simple swinging movement of the feeder with relation to the reservoir of the type casting machine, from operative to inoperative position, I provide not only for the automatic removal of the float from the reservoir and the automatic closing of the metal delivery, but also automatically lock the valve in its closed position, and that the reverse of this action effectively takes place when the feeder is moved from inoperative to operative position.

What I claim is:

1. In association with a type casting machine having a reservoir arranged to carry molten metal and having an auxiliary feeder pivotally mounted to said machine arranged to feed molten metal to said reservoir having a float actuated valve for controlling the feeding of the metal to said reservoir, said valve and its float actuating mechanism being mounted upon and carried by the feeder and arranged to swing with the feeder when the feeder is pivoted with relation to the reservoir, the combination of mechanically actuated means for closing said valve independently of the float control and holding said valve closed under pressure when said feeder is pivoted out of its operating position, said means being arranged upon the auxiliary feeder and actuated only upon the pivotal movement of said feeder with respect to said reservoir.

2. An auxiliary feeder as per claim 1, wherein the mechanically actuated means which is actuated by the pivotal movement of the feeder includes a pendulant arm pivoted intermediate its ends to said feeder and which arm has its lower end arranged to engage a portion of the reservoir when in operative position only, a walking beam pivoted to said feeder, the upper end of said arm being positioned to engage one end of said walking beam, the opposite end of which beam is journalled to the stem of said valve, whereby upon the pivotal movement of said feeder from operative to inoperative position the weight of said pendulant arm will exert a definite pressure to effect the closing of said valve,

3. An auxiliary feeder as per claim 1, wherein said valve and its actuating mechanism include a walking beam pivoted to said feeder, one end of which beam is journalled to the stem of said valve, a float, a rocker arm pivoted to said feeder, flexible means engaging the opposite end of said walking beam and connecting one end of said rocker arm to said float, a stationary cam arranged adjacent said feeder, a cam roller carried by the opposite end of said rocker arm and positioned to engage the effective surface of said cam whereby upon the pivotal movement of the feeder said roller will be drawn along the cam surface and thus incite movement to said rocker arm and said float.

4. In association with a type casting machine having a reservoir arranged to carry molten metal and having an auxiliary feeder pivotally mounted to said machine and arranged to feed molten metal to said reservoir and having a float actuated valve for controlling the feeding of the metal to said reservoir carried by and seating on a portion of said feeder, the combination of a walking beam pivoted to said feeder, one end of which beam is journalled to the stem of said valve, a float, a rocker arm pivoted to said feeder, flexible means engaging the opposite end of said walking beam and connecting one end of said rocker arm to said float, a stationary cam arranged adjacent said feeder, a cam roller carried by the opposite end of said rocker arm and positioned to engage the effective surface of said cam, a pendulant arm pivoted intermediate its ends to said feeder and having its lower end arranged to engage a portion of the reservoir and its upper end engage one end of said walking beam, whereby upon the pivotal movement of said feeder from operative to inoperative position, said roller will be drawn along the cam surface and thus incite movement to said rocker arm and said float which nullifies the valve control action of said float and whereupon said pendulant arm disengages from its contact with the reservoir and exerts a definite pressure against the related end portion of said walking beam.

5. For association with a type casting machine having a reservoir arranged to carry molten metal and having an auxiliary feeder pivotally mounted to said machine and arranged to feed molten metal to said reservoir, the combination of a float actuated valve for controlling the feeding of the metal with mechanically actuated means for retarding the action of the float and removing the float from the reservoir to permit the unrestricted pivotal movement of said feeder with respect to the reservoir, said means including a cam actuated rocker arm arranged upon said feeder and connected to the float, and a cam member carried by the machine arranged to engage and impart movement to said rocker arm upon the pivotal movement of said feeder with respect to its associated reservoir.

ARCHIE BUCHANAN REID. 

